


Through Thick and Thin

by jncar



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Miscommunication, RebelCaptain Secret Valentine, Rebelcaptain - Freeform, With a smidge of angst, spiritassassin, the rebelcaptain network
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 12:45:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13681959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jncar/pseuds/jncar
Summary: Written for the 2018 RebelCaptain secret Valentine organized by TheRebelCaptainNetwork on Tumblr, as a gift for Tumblr user thekearlyn.For the prompt: “Cassian and Jyn are the ultimate field partners whose established romantic relationship is invisible to everyone around them.” Also inspired by a Tumblr discussion about the fact that Bodhi, Baze, and Chirrut had ample evidence to believe that Cassian and Jyn were a couple when they first met them on Jedha.





	Through Thick and Thin

 

The sound of the old, battered, portable comm-unit crackling to life jolted Baze from his fitful slumber, propped against the cold wall of the cave where he and the other fugitive colonists had hidden themselves. He gripped his heavy repeater canon with one hand, and pressed the transmit button with the other. “Malbus here. Repeat your transmission?”

“Baze, it's Jyn,” came the static-filled reply. “We're here with two ships, ready to go as soon as we know the tactical situation.”

It was about kriffing time. He'd activated his emergency beacon nearly eight days ago when the Imperial troops first landed.

“The Imperials are stationed at what's left of the colony. They took about half the colonists prisoner to use as slave labor in building a communications array. This time of day most of the prisoners will be at the construction site. You have to be careful—they don't deserve to be caught in the crossfire.”

“Got it,” Jyn replied. “What about the rest of you?”

“Track this signal. We've taken shelter in a cave complex about four clicks northwest of the colony. You got here just in time—our supplies ran out a day and a half ago.”

There was a pause, and he felt certain that guilt was churning inside of Jyn just as it churned inside of him. He'd been the one to convince Chirrut to leave the Rebellion behind for this small agricultural colony of Force worshipers. He'd thought that Chirrut would be safe and happy here. He thought they'd be free of the Empire forever.

He'd been wrong.

Thank the Force for the emergency beacon Jyn had forced on him before they left. And thank the Force she'd been listening.

“Understood,” Jyn finally replied. “I'll land near your position so you can access our emergency supplies while I lead my team toward the colony on foot to scout out the situation. Then I'll coordinate a strike with Cassian—he's on the other ship. I'll be there in five minutes. Copy?”

“Copy,” Baze replied. He switched off the comm and hauled himself to his feet. He needed to get the others ready.

As promised, Jyn's shuttle landed not far from the cave entrance.

“I told you not to worry,” Chirrut murmured as he hobbled toward the shuttle—his leg injury from Scarif was acting up, again. “I knew our friends would come.”

Baze only grunted. As often as not Chirrut's optimism proved unfounded. This time they'd gotten lucky.

Jyn embraced them both, and her crew started handing out water and rations, with two medics attending to the wounded and ill.

Before an hour was out all the fugitive colonists had been cared for, and Jyn's scout team was ready to go.

Baze insisted on going with them.

“You really don't have to do this—you need food and rest just as much as anyone else here,” Jyn protested.

“You'd better give in now, Jyn,” Chirrut said. “Or he'll just follow you and cause problems later.”

Baze glared at his partner, but didn't contradict him. Chirrut wasn't wrong.

Jyn gave in, and, in spite of the exhausting hike and two hours of reconnaissance that pushed his patience (and endurance) to its limits before they finally launched the attack, he was glad to be there.

He'd been wading in guilt for not protecting more of their neighbors during the initial attack, and now he got to rescue them and cut down the Imperial bastards at the same time. Plus, he'd forgotten just how fun it was to see Jyn and Cassian in action together.

Once the two strike teams converged, they were an unstoppable force, reading the action and each other's minds, making battle look like a sort of brutal dance. Between Jyn, with her bone-shattering truncheons and Cassian with his keen marksmanship, they cut a wide swath through the line of Imperial troopers, sending those they missed scattering away to where other rebel soldiers lay in wait.

Damn it was good to see them again.

Back when they first met he'd assumed there was some sort of romance there which soon fizzled out over the thing with Jyn's father. Given Jyn's devotion during Cassian's long stay in the med-bay after their narrow escape from Scarif, he'd thought they might give things another go. Instead, they'd settled into a tight professional partnership. It was probably for the best. Romance between two such intense people was bound to be difficult.

In less than an hour all the Imperials were either dead or in shackles, and the new communications array was blown to smithereens.

Baze laughed and gave Cassian a big hug when they finally had a moment after the battle. “Thank the Force that you two are as deadly as ever. Good work, Captain.”

“Major, now,” Jyn chimed in with a pleased smirk on his face.

“Congratulations,” Baze replied, but Cassian shook off the compliment and launched straight into organizing the plan to evacuate the colonists—there would be no peace on this planet, again. It was time to go.

Baze sighed, his weariness settling in, and stood back to let Cassian and Jyn lead the operation. They were more than capable. In spite of their differences, he'd rarely seen a more competent team. He was perfectly content to sit with Chirrut and rest until it was time to board one of the shuttles.

They couldn't take much—none of the colonists could. There wasn't room, and they couldn't wait for another Alliance ship; the Imperials might show up, first. But Baze and Chirrut had come here almost empty-handed. It wasn't really a surprise that they were leaving the same way.

It wasn't until several hours into the flight that they had a chance to talk to Jyn and Cassian again.

“Sorry we didn't come sooner. We've been on the com trying to make arrangements for all of you with Alliance command,” said Cassian, taking a seat on a cargo crate across from where Chirrut and Baze sat against the wall. Jyn squeezed onto the crate beside him.

“We're not offended,” Chirrut scoffed. “You just rescued us—and our whole colony. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“Yes we do,” said Jyn. “I knew you never would have set off the beacon unless there was a dire emergency, but I delayed responding by four days in order to finish out the op we were working on. I should've left Cassian to finish it without me and come for you sooner.”

“Was it an important op?” Chirrut asked gently. Baze huffed. He knew where this was going.

“We'd spent over a month infiltrating the puppet government on Dinzo in order to help a faction of Alliance sympathizers orchestrate a coup. We'd just imprisoned the Empire-backed leaders, but we were a few days shy of quelling the remaining pockets of Imperial resistance,” Cassian stated gravely.

“So you had a lot on your hands,” Chirrut said with a smile.

Jyn shook her head. “Things were under control. I could have left early.”

“Could she have?” Chirrut prodded.

Baze met Cassian's eyes and raised his brows in question. Cassian sighed. “No,” he said softly. “Things were still too perilous.”

“That's what I thought,” Baze grumbled. “It would have been nice to have you come a few days sooner, but we managed to hold out alright. No harm was done, and you two managed to liberate a world from Imperial control. That's a little more important than saving our asses.”

Jyn's face fell. “It shouldn't have been.”

“Lots of things are that shouldn't be. That's why you are in this fight. To change things,” Chirrut said, pulling his “wise old sage” act.

Baze rolled his eyes, but said nothing. He'd gotten used to Chirrut's antics ages ago. Maybe sometimes he even liked them—but only just a little.

“Let it go, Jyn,” Chirrut said. “There is nothing to forgive, because you made the right choice. Now lets turn to happier subjects. I have a feeling the two of you have good news for us?” He grinned at them.

And now he was pretending to read minds, again. Some things never changed. Nor would Baze like it if they did. He smiled a little.

“We did have something we wanted to tell you, but under the circumstances I feel like we'll be rubbing it in your faces,” Jyn said.

Cassian tented his fingers between his knees and remained silent. He was a man who knew the value of keeping his mouth shut once in a while. Baze had always respected that about him.

“Out with it. Let your happiness light up this dark moment,” Chirrut urged.

“Well, we, uh...” Jyn looked down, suddenly shy.

“We're getting married,” Cassian said, meeting their gazes with a confident expression.

Baze's jaw dropped.

“That's wonderful!” Chirrut said. “I thought things might be headed in that direction after hearing your last few messages. Congratulations!”

Baze sputtered soundlessly as Chirrut, Jyn, and Cassian all beamed at each other in understanding.

What the kriffing hell? Baze had heard every last one of their messages, and nothing in them ever implied something like _this._

“When is the joyous day?” Chirrut asked as Baze continued to sputter.

“We were waiting for the op to end before picking a date,” Jyn said. “We were hoping to get a hold of Bodhi and fly out to see you for the occasion. We really want you to be a part of the ceremony...”

Baze finally found his voice. “I'm happy that you're happy, but what the hell is going on? When in the galaxy did you even start dating? Why didn't I know any of this?”

Now both Jyn and Cassian's jaws dropped.

Chirrut shook his head. “They've been together since after Scarif. How did you not know this?”

“I thought they broke up _before_ Scarif, on account of the thing with Jyn's father,” Baze protested.

“We were never together before Scarif,” Cassian said, looking as baffled as Baze felt. “We barely knew each other.”

“But that deep emotional connection between you was obvious to all of us. You were two lost souls who found a home in each other,” Chirrut stated with no hint of humor or teasing in his voice.

Jyn's cheeks flushed bright red, and Cassian looked down at his hands, though he wore a pleased smile on his face.

Baze huffed. “If it was so obvious, then how come I didn't know when they actually got together?”

“Because you were so busy fussing over my health,” Chirrut shot back. “For which I am forever grateful, but you really should spend more time developing your friendships with others.”

Baze clenched his jaw and scowled.

“Really, it was probably our fault as much as anything,” Jyn said, rushing to his rescue. “You and Chirrut left while Cassian was still going through a phase where he insisted we couldn't show affection in public.”

Cassian let out a huff and clenched his jaw. Clearly this was a long-standing disagreement.

Jyn continued, “And though he eventually got over that nonsense,” she shot a glare at Cassian, who only smirked and shook his head, “It must not have been in time for you to see any of it. But we just both assumed you knew, so we didn't think we had to explicitly state it in any of our messages. I'm sorry.”

The utter absurdity of the situation was settling over Baze. What did it matter if he was wrong all this time? His friends were happy, and he, Chirrut, and the rest of their new neighbors, were all safe and well.

“Ah, think nothing of it,” he said, waving his hand to dismiss the problem. “We've all been idiots, but we're all alive and happy. That's all that really matters. Congratulations, little sister.” He stood and tugged on Jyn's arm, pulling her up into a big hug.

Maybe leaving his friends behind had been the wrong choice. It certainly felt right to be back together.

But there was no time like the present for a new beginning.

“I'm very happy for you,” he murmured into Jyn's ear. “It means a lot to us that you want us there.”

“Of course I do. You and Chirrut mean so much to me,” she said. “It was seeing your relationship—how close you were after so many years together, and how you still stood by each other for better or for worse, through thick and thin—that helped me realize that maybe marriage was something worth trying, after all. I hope that Cassian and I can be as successful in our marriage as you are in yours.”

A tickled of amusement danced in Baze's gut and worked its way up until it burst out of his mouth in a loud guffaw. “Chirrut and I aren't married!” He laughed again.

Jyn stepped back from him, blinking in confusion. “You're not? But... I thought... I mean, it was easy to assume...”

Chirrut rose to his feet. “The Order of the Guardians of the Whills forbade marriage, in emulation of the Jedi Order. We respected the rules of our Order, even after it was disbanded.”

Baze huffed again. “More like we were so stuck in our ways that it never occurred to us.”

Cassian rose, a teasing smile on his face. “It's never too late, you know.”

Baze shook his head, but Chirrut grinned.

“Maybe a double wedding is in order?” Jyn added with a cheeky grin.

Of all the ridiculous things that had been said today, this topped it all. The only thing Baze could do was laugh.

~ ~ ~

Jyn smoothed out the front of Baze's blue silk robe one last time and stepped back to take a look at him. “There. You look perfect.” He really was as clean and well-groomed as she'd ever seen him.

He grunted at her. “I still can't believe you talked me into this.”

Jyn smiled. He'd never let this go, would he? “Chirrut talked you into it. I only helped a little.”

Baze sighed. “We've been together for more than twenty years, and never once talked about marriage until you put it in his head. I'm not leaving. He's not leaving. We know that. So why go through all this ceremony?”

It looked like he needed to rehash this argument one last time before taking the plunge. “It's a symbol of putting your past behind you and starting on a new path. Your world and your Order are gone, but you're still here. There are some things the Empire can't destroy.”

Baze squeezed his lips together for a moment. “I didn't ask to be a symbol, you know.”

“I know. Neither did I, but here we are,” she replied. She'd put up with over a year of being hailed as a hero and a savior. Baze and Chirrut had escaped most of that. It was high time they carried their share of that burden.

He sighed one more time. “So I really have to go through with this?”

“I walk you down the aisle today, and you walk me down the aisle tomorrow. That was the deal. It's too late to back out now,” Jyn chided. Plus, she hoped that standing as Baze's witness today would help ease some of her nerves for her own wedding, tomorrow. She held Baze's gaze. “Most importantly—do you love him?”

For the first time that morning, Baze's features softened, and his eyes glowed with a new light. “Yes. I couldn't go on without him.”

Her heart swelled at the love in her friend's eyes. For a moment she wished that Chirrut could see it for himself, but then she realized that he did see it in hundreds of ways that she would never fully understand.

“And Cassian,” Baze added, his voice soft. “Do you love him?”

Her throat grew tight with emotion. “More than I ever thought possible.”

“Give it another twenty years, and you'll see it will only grow. Love is a strange thing, like that. The more you give, the more you have.” He wore a soft, dreamy expression.

It sent her mind soaring to think of it. Twenty years with Cassian. What would the galaxy be like in twenty years? She could hardly imagine it.

She only hoped they wouldn't still be fighting. She would very much like to know what life with Cassian would be like without war hanging over them. “Do you really think we'll make it that long?”

“I do,” Baze replied, utter sincerity in his tone.

Jyn felt tears pricking her eyes. She was so glad she had such amazing friends in her life. So very, very glad that her delayed response to that emergency beacon hadn't cost them their lives.

She shouldn't have to make choices like that. No one should.

And maybe, someday, she would never have to make that kind of a choice ever again.

“I guess we're doing this, then,” said Baze, sounding resigned, but also more than a little happy.

“That we are,” Jyn replied, linking her arm with his. “Shall we?”

He nodded. “And may the Force be with us.”

Jyn grinned and pressed the button to open the door to the wedding hall, where all their friends were waiting for them. Where Chirrut and Cassian were waiting for them.

“May the Force be with us,” she whispered, and they headed inside.

The End

 


End file.
